January 2012

January 29, 2012

Cabaret acts are a dime a dozen here in New York - you can't throw a stone without hitting someone who thinks that putting together an act is as easy as mixing a vodka cran... and some of these shows have about as much potency too.

Thankfully there are some folks around town who are consistently entertaining - and fortunately I know quite a few of them - most notably my longtime friend Kenneth Gartman. Certainly my admiration for his talent (and I'm not talking euphemistically here) is part of the reason that he's in the "long time" category among the notoriously flaky and transient showbiz community here in New York City.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of catching the first set of shows of his current "..Not Like The Other Cavemen" and I found him and the show to be a delightful romp of growing up gay in rural Texas. There are some wonderful original songs, a few that you won't have heard that much and, most of all, Kenneth's charm and the delicious twinkle in his eye he gets when he's all up in his own grill performing. It's magic.

Today's show is at 4 (which, at this writing, is in like 10 minutes) but he's got two more shows - Wednesday February 1st at 7pm and Saturday February 4th at 4:30, both at Don't Tell Mama located at 343 W. 46th Street. Cover is $20. The night I went last time, the place was jam-packed so best to make reservations. Click here to go to Kenneth's website for all that kind of information.

January 28, 2012

There'll be long lines and annoyed customers. sure, welcome to New York, so get there early and pop a Xanax or something to keep yourself calm (cuz nobody likes a stressy party goer, no way, no how).

What am I talking about? Just tonight's much anticipated re-opening of XL nightclub inside the much talked about "Out" Hotel on W. 42nd Street. XL was a popular and well-run nightclub years ago which unexpectedly closed it's doors in late spring 2006. Considered one of the nicest and best designed clubs in the city, the old XL had many attractive features - some second level party spaces, one of the biggest DJ spaces ever created and, most importantly, a commitment to nighttime entertainment beyond the random drag queen lip synching the latest top 40 hit. One of the biggest feathers in the cap of the old XL was the weekly appearance of drag performer Jessye Normous, a performer who sang classically trained opera backed up by a small live band. You'd think that wouldn't go over so well but the bar was always packed on Jessye nights.

There was a thread on Gothamist a few weeks ago dismissing the new hotel/club complex as too tourist friendly although given the sad sack state of today's gay nightlife in New York, frankly the idea of this place couldn't come at a better time. And I'll never understand any hotel in New York that doesn't cater to the entertainment needs of it's customers. Sure, there are a million nightclubs in New York and yeah, we're not in Vegas, a destination location where people rarely actually travel far outside of the hotel they're staying in... but again, given the sorry state of dance clubs (well, there aren't any) giving your customers an opportunity to stay somewhere super gay and come 'home' at the end of a day of sightseeing to a place where they can then simply go downstairs and dance, see some of New York's finest gaytertainment and possibly pick up a local who's wandered in to the club to have some fun... well, it makes perfect business sense.

Tonight is the big grand opening and literally all of gay New York is talking about it and aiming to be there.

As with other recent openings such as Flaming Saddles, there's always the conversation - is there enough business to go around with such a plethora of gay bars/clubs opening in mid-town? My belief is like that old line, 'if you build it, they will come'. Not everyone wants to go to a mega club. Not everyone wants to go to a dive bar. But if you build both, people who have been missing 'their' kind of club will come out. Look, it's a city of 12 million people and about 11.5 of us are teh gayz... and the only reason that gay nightlife has been suffering, isn't the lack of teh gayz, but the lack of good places to go. At one point or another, people just stop going out because they are not finding what they want. And you can take that to the bank, cash it and live off it for a decade, that's how true that is.

Will be at the opening tonight and report back in the morning hopefully with pictures - if I don't end up in someone's hotel room (ok maybe especially IF I end up in someone's hotel room LOL). :)

January 27, 2012

Good afternoon peeps - today's Hunk O The Day is Donny Wright, a young dark haired cutie from Naked Sword's GOLDEN GATE.

There's a smattering of hair on the chest for those of you who like a little rough with their smooth, and plenty of smooth for those of us who can't get enough of that right now.

As a side note -someone wrote me after some past blog posts confused that I was into smooth chests when I've always talked about admiring hairy chests. What can I tell you? My sense of what is erotic is evolving - God, I hope your tastes evolve over time and that what worked for you ten years ago isn't still what you're into today. My tastes change fairly regularly although it's usually pretty tried and true that a great smile and a thick chest will reduce me to a blushing giggling mess. It's also true that a personality that I'm turned on by will circumvent pretty much everything that I say I want/need/am turned on by... isn't this how it is for you all too?

January 26, 2012

Who couldn't use $1,500? If you have any kind of artistic bone in your body, you owe it to yourself to start using your noggin to come up with a new logo for New York's Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art - the first LBGTQ art museum in the world. Although in New York, the Leslie-Lohman has

been synonomous with excellence in art by gay and lesbian artists for over 20 years, it has since tweaked it's mission to become a Museum - and it needs a suitable logo to mark it's new start.

The Leslie-Lohman's mission is to "exhibit, preserve and foster the creation of LGBTQ art and artists which speaks directly to a gay and lesbian experience, including erotic, political, romantic and social imagery. We embrace this rich creative history by informing, inspiring, entertaining and challenging all who enter our doors."

Curiously, it's one of those New York events that doesn't get promoted til the 11th hour but somehow it's

always packed and everyone in town knows about it. What am I referring to? Well, Nowhere Bar's monthly "Fire In the Hole" party of course featuring and celebrating redheads and giving our admirers a night to congregate all in one place to cruise, pick up or otherwise slobber over the ginger.

It's a curious thing, being a redhead myself, I wasn't necessarily picked on because I was a redhead but as a kid you knew you were different from the other kids and as an adult it's also kind of a thing to look around a dance club and realize that you're the only fair haired fair skinned guy in the place.

Fortunately there are guys for whom redheads are 'it'. This realization came in my mid 20s when I went to a friend's birthday party and realized that the place was crawling with redheads of all shapes, sizes and ages. You know, if you're in a room full of dark haired guys, you don't really even think that the host of the party has a certain appetite.. but if you're in a roomful of redheads, the hosts specific bent screams at you loud and clear - when else is one ever in a roomful of redheads?

Someone over at Nowhere got wise to this and now is making the bux. The party has been going for the

past year and a half and shows no sign of abating. Catch it tonight starting at 10pm. There's no cover and there's super cheap drinks.

So whether you're wild about David Caruso, Donny Most, Jimmy Olsen, Conan or well, Will Clark (blush) or just an admirer of the , you're welcome (but I'm pretty sure they draw the line at Carrot Top! kidding of course) :) Personally I'm wild about fellow redhead (and fellow Scotsman, Kevin McKidd but more for his work on Journeyman than Grey's Anatomy). Yum. :)

Last night we raised $725 for Visual AIDS and were visited by New York's Imperial Court. More on that and pictures this weekend - along with pics from the past few weeks. You know, I've been a little under the weather the past few weeks in a lot of different ways, but I think I have, as they say, turned a corner. Being in an extended funk (as opposed to 'what's that smell?, oh yeah someone's manfunk") sort of makes sorting through hundreds of Bingo pics the last thing on my list but as I've turned that corner, I'll be catching up in the coming days.

In the meantime, it's been a few days since I posted a Hunk O The Day so here for your visual enjoyment is Jeremy Bilding from Naked Sword's Golden Gate flick. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm in a place in my life where the smooth look has become quite a turn on for me - and so while I know some of you will think that his body is too Ken dollish, I am kinda wild over how defined it is - and also how pumped up his pecs are (I have a huge fetish for a great muscled up chest- if only Chestmen of America was still a thing in the world!)

Anyway, will be back later with one oddball gay thing or another.

On a kind of separate but semi related note, next week's beneficiary, the lovely and super interesting Jo Arnone, has had to cancel her appearance due to some medical issues (nothing life threatening) so I'll have her back later in the spring. I'm happy to report that Mr. Eagle 2011 CB Kirby will be joining my other guest, singer Andromeda Turre (courtesy of Rock and Rawhide) and I for a fun night at Pieces raising money for Braking the Cycle. More info over the next few days but also looking forward to some pretty awesome guests in February (details coming soon) and some pretty fun faboo hotties in March (like Pete Finland on March 21st just in time for the Black Party).

Have a great day everyone, it's a little grey here in New York but a little warmer than it's been.. not bad for a late January day, eh?

A grand night of fundraising at The Will Clark Show feat. P*rno Bingo for Visual AIDS featuring the current Emperor Vanity Society & Empress Pepperica Swirl bringing their style and panache to New York’s leading weekly Bingo EVENT!

Tonight’s guests include cabaret singer Gregory Nalbone and Viscountess Doris Dear. Prizes include extra saucy XXX flicks, theatre tix and much more. PLUS I've got great tickets for ANYTHING GOES up for auction.. don't miss this opportunity to pick up great seats to benefit a great cause!

Cheap drinks, cheap men that lead to cheap dates and 100% of what’s raised goes to Visual AIDS.

Visual AIDS utilizes art to fight AIDS by provoking dialogue, supporting HIV+ artists, and preserving a legacy, because AIDS is not over.

Visual AIDS is the only contemporary arts organization fully committed to HIV prevention and AIDS awareness through producing and presenting visual art projects, while assisting artists living with HIV/AIDS. We are committed to preserving and honoring the work of artists with HIV/AIDS and the artistic contributions of the AIDS movement. We embrace diversity and difference in our staff, leadership, artists, and audiences.

The mission of the Imperial Court of New York is to raise funds for organizations, including but not limited to those supporting the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community; HIV/AIDS services organizations; social service organizations and youth enrichment programs. It seeks to provide a safe, social environment for people with the same interests as those of the membership and to create and promote positive community awareness of the ideals of the International Court System.

Vocalist & Entertainer Gregory Nalbone has made his mark on diverse NYC stages such as Birdland, The Iguana V.I.P. Lounge, Don't Tell Mama, La Mediterranée, and Comix. In 2011, his solo forays in shows at The Duplex (Share the Moment; Share the Moment, Encore!; All of Me) were all sold-out triumphs, and he premiered at The Laurie Beechman Theatre (Songs From the Heart), The Triad (Erotic Broadway /Vintage Variety), and made his Metropolitan Room debut (Love is in the Air: Songs of Romance & Passion) to a full house on Superbowl Sunday! Currently at work on his new CD, Live From Metropolitan Room, Gregory is also in the middle of a recording project with a major label that will be released in 2012; he made his highly anticipated return to Metropolitan Room (Gregory Nalbone in Concert) on November 1st. 2011.

About The Will Clark Show

Will Clark produces and hosts a weekly fundraising event benefiting New York based non profits with four rounds of Bingo, celebrity guest callers and fabulous prizes! Part game show, part talk show and all fundraiser!

Now in it¹s seventh year, The Will Clark Show featuring P*rno Bingo has raised over $180,000 for New York LGBT charities.

The Will Clark Show is held at Pieces which can be reached via the 1 train (Christopher Street) and the ABCDEF lines (West 4th).

January 24, 2012

This morning, I found out that an acquaintance, porn star Sergio Real, passed away over the weekend of liver cancer here in New York surrounded by friends from Unity Church of New York.

I can't recall anymore how I met Sergio - it was in those first few years of making movies (the mid to late 90s), running back and forth from New York where I was living then to Los Angeles where all the movies were shot at the time. Did I meet him through a New York club event (possibly on that Chi Chi shoot at Heaven?) or was it at some event in Los Angeles? I probably will never remember.

But for years Sergio, tall, Brazilian and swarthy, would envelop me whenever I'd see him out and about. He had an angular and yet boxy face that widened into an enormous smile whenever we'd meet. I can't recall anything other than a smile on Sergio's face in the years that I knew him.

For years we'd flirt - he was a charmer and always a treat to run into him when he'd visit from New York where he was living then and would continue to live for the rest of his days.

One of my best memories of Sergio, was the night, when, just over ten years ago now, I had him as a guest on my "Cocktails with the Stars" show at Micky's and had him bring his guitar. Sergio could really sing and play and the whole place was enchanted.

Usually porn stars trying to be singers is mostly kind of embarrassing, but Sergio was the real deal. And I and everyone else was astonished and charmed.

At one point some months later, Sergio came to visit me at my West Hollywood apartment - I don't even remember what the occasion was. I think I was putting a holiday party together and he offered to help me decorate.

The reason I don't remember that clearly because all the oxygen was sucked out of my brain when a hug goodbye turned into one of the most passionate kisses I've ever experienced (and that's saying something). Sergio's kisses consumed you and you were left helpless, breathless and dizzy. I would think about that kiss for some time to come. Still today, 11 years later, I can recall it and the rough sandpaper of his five o'clock shadow.

The years passed and, even though I returned to New York, our paths didn't cross again.

So, I say goodnight and goodbye to my Brazilian friend Sergio Real aka Sam Belama. A man who made a good many people happy, not the least of which was me with a kiss that I will never forget.

(photo above from Sergio's 2001 appearance at "Cocktails with the Stars", property of Will Clark World)

Because although it's a great idea, simply wearing nothing to the Black Party will get you arrested on New

York City streets - so help the guys at the Saint at Large design a sexy tee and while you're at it, help them raise some bucks for the LGBT Center here in New York.

The rules are simple - create a design and submit (you all know about submitting, I'm sure!) and if your design gets picked, you will not only get to bask in the glory of seeing your work stretched over the bulked up bodies of Black Party attendees, but you'll also get a couple of tickets to the Black Party itself on Saturday March 24th (that's 60 days from now in case it's too early in the morning for mad math skills).